Mayor Fred Eisenberger won’t bet on Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie’s odds to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and relocate the team to Hamilton.

“I am not betting the farm on that,” said Mr. Eisenberger in an interview.

Just days after Mr. Balsillie unveiled elaborate plans to renovate Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum, Mr. Eisenberger is expressing a certain reticence in his expectation the Waterloo billionaire will get the NHL Board of Governors to move the Coyotes to Hamilton.

“It’s out of our hands,” said Mr. Eisenberger.

Mr. Balsillie filed a proposal to the NHL’s Board of Governors to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and relocate the team to Hamilton. Mr. Balsillie states that he is willing to sustain financial losses in the NHL team’s first few years in Hamilton. The Coyotes have never made a profit while in Glendale after moving from Winnipeg 13 years ago. Mr. Moyes, the majority owner, has said the team has lost over $300 million.

Mr. Balsillie has stated in a previous filing he would keep the team in Glendale for one year if the NHL covers the expected losses. Mr. Balsillie hired former Canadian Football League Commissioner Tom Wright to assist in the application process.

Arizona bankruptcy judge Redfield Baum has set June 9 to decide if the Coyotes can relocate to Hamilton. Mr. Balsillie has said he will withdraw his $212.5 million purchase price for the team by the end of June. If the judge does allow the relocation of the franchise, the NHL has stated it will appeal the decision. The NBA, the NFL and MLB have joined the NHL in asking the judge to keep the Coyotes in Glendale.

The parties have until June 5 to file legal documents ahead of the hearing.

Mr. Eisenberger said a judge can decide any number of things, including keeping the team in Glendale.

“You don’t know what the judge will do,” he said. “It is in the hands of the judge.”

Mr. Eisenberger, though, remains confident that Hamilton will get an NHL franchise in the future.

“There are other bidders,” said Mr. Eisenberger. “Maybe even Mr. Balsillie himself will get it. But he has shown that there is a demand in Hamilton for a team.”

The mayor said Hamilton is “closer than ever” in securing an NHL franchise. He said publicity from the battle between the NHL and Mr. Balsillie, and the on-going court proceedings in Arizona, has highlighted Hamilton as an untapped market for NHL hockey.

Meanwhile, Mr. Eisenberger says Mr. Balsillie’s renovation plans to redesign Copps Coliseum remains “jaw dropping.” But he pointed out “those are just plans” and the public shouldn’t get too excited about it, especially if the city doesn’t even have a team.

The mayor said Hamilton residents won’t pay for the renovation costs, estimated in 2007 to be about $150 million.

“I think Hamilton taxpayers paid enough at $400 million to $500 million in constructing the facilities,” he said.

The city will apply to both levels of government for infrastructure money to fund the renovations. If there is any shortfall, said Mr. Eisenberger then, “Mr. Balsillie will have to make up the difference.”

Mr. Balsillie has stated he will contribute some of his own money, including $5 million according to the 32-year lease arrangement signed with the city. The “exclusive” lease agreement is set to expire Oct. 31, 2009.

Meanwhile, Mr. Eisenberger confirmed that Mr. Balsillie will be able to sell the naming rights to Copps Coliseum, but only if “Copps” remains somewhere on the building. He said the city’s lease arrangement with Mr. Balsillie allows him to sell the naming rights.

Mr. Eisenberger said he is hopeful that if Mr. Basillie does want to sell the naming rights, that the community should be involved in re-naming the facility. The 1985 Copps Coliseum was named after former Hamilton mayor Victor Copps, father of former Liberal MP Sheila Copps.

“Hopefully there would be a contest (to the renaming),” said Mr. Eisenberger.